Ottawa, Aug 17 (Canadian-Media): Manufacturing disruptions of EpiPen, a lifesaving allergy medicine, since May, there is a great shortage of it in and allergy sufferers and caregivers find it especially at the present time now, as parents try to stock up to send their kids back to school, media reports said.

​EpiPen prescriptions rise in August, when parents buy multiple packs for their kids.

"In my busy pediatric clinic, we've noticed there are a number of patients calling in wondering where they can procure their EpiPens, since most pharmacies are having trouble keeping them in stock," said Dr. Stacy Dorris, of the department of pediatric allergy and immunology at the Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, Tennessee.

It's a problem across the country and the pharmacies said they were unsure of its availability.​

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Food Allergy Research Education/Facebook

The survey conducted by Patient advocacy group Food Allergy Research & Education (FARE) from 600 people in 43 states about EpiPen availability,revealed more than 80 percent of pharmacies said they either couldn't fill or could only partially fill their prescriptions.

"We've heard there are widespread shortages of EpiPen," said Wells Fargo analyst David Maris, who estimates the product drew $1 billion in revenue in 2016 for drugmaker Mylan.

"It's clearly a headwind," Maris said. "And no one's talking about how soon it will be cleared up."

While EpiPen is marketed by Mylan, it's manufactured by a subsidiary of Pfizer.

There is an identical authorized generic version of EpiPen, also sold by Mylan sold at half the price, but it too was facing manufacturing issues.​Spokesman Mark Donohue of New Jerseay based Amneal Pharmaceuticals,which makes the Adrenaclick, a similar epinephrine auto-injector, made by Pfizer, said epinephrine auto-injectors are available

"While we experienced intermittent supply of products from our third-party manufacturer throughout the second quarter and during the month of July, we are receiving shipments," Donohue said.

Mylan supplies EpiPens to schools through its EpiPen4Schools program. But even that system may face delays in supply, Mylan spokeswoman Lauren Kashtan said.

Official reports also said that recently expired EpiPens can be used in an emergency situation.